Your Mail 4-20-14: Good care at Huey P. Long Hospital ... 'Surely, we can forgive'

Good care at H.P. Long

Good news: Huey P. Long Hospital's emergency room in Pineville is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and three medical physicians are on duty during the day and night. This is probably the best-kept secret in Central Louisiana.

I discovered this recently when I delivered magazines to the Medicine Clinic, which is located in a trailer outside the gate at H.P. Long Hospital. Upon lamenting the closure of the hospital, the personnel informed me that the emergency room was still open. So I proceeded to deliver magazines to the E.R. Lo and behold, it was open with qualified personnel on duty.

Rather than those long waits in the overcrowded ERs in Alexandria, you have another choice.

You are charged according to your health insurance, just as any other hospital. If you are indigent, you are still given quality care with an up-front cost of $25. You may verify this by calling the switchboard at (318) 448-0811 or the emergency room at (318) 473-6280.

I was inspired to write this letter after hearing Dr. Rita Smith sing a beautiful song at the Doctors Follies on March 29. The song was a tribute to Huey P. Long Hospital. It was sung in an operatic voice and moved many of us emotionally because we see the folly in what state Sen. Gerald Long, R-Winnfield, is trying to do -- close Huey P. Long even before there is adequate care provided for the 36,000 patients who were served last year by this beautiful hospital. This impacts everyone in our community - even those of us with the beast health insurance.

Wake up, Central Louisiana, and smell the coffee!

I was in the health-care system from 1950 to 1990 in this area and know the inner workings, as well as the politics.

Be aware that Huey P. Long Hospital will remain open until the entire state Legislature acts. Contact your legislators now!

'Surely we can forgive'

If we can forgive U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., with his "hookers" and go so far with forgiveness to even consider him for our governor, surely we can forgive U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister, R-La.

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

P.A. Branch, West Monroe

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